As medical device technologies continue to evolve, active implanted medical devices have gained increasing popularity in the medical field. For example, one type of implanted medical device includes neurostimulator devices, which are battery-powered or battery-less devices that are designed to deliver electrical stimulation to a patient. Through proper electrical stimulation, the neurostimulator devices can provide pain relief for patients or restore bodily functions.
Implantable medical devices (for example a neuro stimulator) can be controlled using an electronic programming device such as a clinician programmer or a patient programmer. These programmers can be used by medical personnel or the patient to define the particular electrical stimulation therapy to be delivered to a target area of the patient's body, alter one or more parameters of the electrical stimulation therapy, or otherwise conduct communications with a patient. Advances in the medical device field have improved these electronic programmers in certain aspects involving speed and user-friendliness. However, existing electronic programmers still have a variety of shortcomings. For example, when users perform the stimulation programming using existing programmers, only a few predefined waveforms are available to be used as the stimulation pulses. The dearth of available stimulation waveforms restrict the flexibility and versatility of stimulation programming.
Therefore, although existing electronic programmers for controlling implantable medical devices have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been entirely satisfactory in every aspect.